Dark Sun Ellensburg

New Allies

12

NOV/12

Demonwing

surfaced on the Fever Sea.

As the invisible crew made headway towards the Pirate stronghold of Port Peril and the court of the Hurricane King, the intrepid pirates discovered something unexpected….a transforming ship.
The Demonwing, a slow, ponderous, and attention grabbing behemoth of a stone ship was able to switch places with the pirates’ own ship, the Hellborne Fury on Haagenti’s realm in the Abyss. Still unsure of how much Abyssal presence the Demonwing carried with it, the Crew decided best to try make their go using the conventional pirate ship.

Days later, and crewing a ship normally manned by 20 seasoned sailors with a crew of but 5, the Hellborne fury limped into port, driven by an exhausted and radically changed officer’s corps. Upon arriving at Port Peril, the pirates were greeted by a large half-orc spokesman for the Hurricane King’s court. He challenged the crew to a test of piracy by arranging them to fight off a ship-board foe. Dragging out large cages filled with giant monstrosities known as Marsh Giants, Tsadok the half-orc unleashed them upon the Hellborne Fury.

A momentous battle ensued in which one of the Marsh Giants, Fishpork, had his lifelong friend killed at the end of “the wall’s” spiked chain. Fishpork later met his own death much to the amusement of diminutive Sanctus who observed the action from the battlements above. Sanctus approached the crew and offered to become the newest member and lookout for the Hellborne Fury.

Welcomed to the Hurricane King’s fortress, the party, along with their newfound heavy crossbow toting halfling lookout entered the kings feasthall with much applause and revelry. The Hurricane king demanded the pirates regale the hall with a story of piracy on the high seas and Roltair told the story of how the crew vanquished Whalebone Pilk, thereby indirectly rescuing Sandor the Religious Monk. During the telling of the tale, common Pirate antics such as cat-calling and shouting down the orator were met with a smashed lute over the head by Romska, and a new pet “Ren-Kyr’s Bitch” who happened to disturb the half-orc’s drinking to such a degree that he decided to take him as an “aide” after knocking out all of his teeth and putting him to “sleep”
The Hurricane King presented Captain Romska with the Letter of Marque, recognizing the crew as a free pirate ship and Romska as a free captain of the Shackles, able to pillage and engage in piracy with the full sanction of the Pirate King council. The after party was to follow at an alehouse near the docks.

At the alehouse, the pirates got to drinkin’ and carousing. A charismatic and friendly rival captain, Pierce Jerrell introduced himself and warned the Pirates of a tricky drink meddler before helping the crew during an all out bar-brawl in which Ren Kyr and Sandor chased down the plucky girl who had been observed messing with drinks. As the militia were called, Pierce helped the crew escape with their new prisoner and vowed to see them again on the high seas where they could engage in friendly wagers and showboat rivalry. The prisoner turned out to be Caulky Muldoon, a cabin steward of Captain Harrigan who had drugged the Pirates’ drinks when they were press-ganged. She was caught trying to do it again and related to the crew that she had no love for Harrigan but was forced to do his bidding. She also said he set sail in the morning, with or without her aboard. Realizing their nemesis was so close, the Pirates desired to give chase only realizing they didn’t have the crew for the Hellborne Fury and the Demonwing wasn’t fast enough on the Prime material plane to catch a ship such as the Wormwood. A showdown with Harrigan would need to wait until another day.

Meanwhile, the party was able to bail out the arrested scallywags from the drunk tank and press-ganged them into service under the Boatswain Ren-Kyr. The Captain, Lookout and Quartermaster all received an invitation to meet with the influential pirate captain Tessa Fairwind at her townhouse in Port Peril, while the First Mate surreptitiously murdered in cold Blood the tavern owner, Peg-Leg Penelope’s Father.

Tessa, who took an instant liking to the 2 foot tall Sanctus, talked of intrigue and the very real threat of a Cheliax invasion and conquering of the Shackles. Suspecting some two timing and spying afoot, she mentioned that the crew could gain influence and power by investigating some of the leads pointing to inside help for the Chelaxians. Agreeing to help Tessa, and 8 hours of cross-bow lessons by Sanctus later, the crew set sail.

The crew came upon a large Cheliaxian merchant vessel, and being the pirates that they are, they attacked and pillaged the ship, gaining some crew and plunder for their further adventures.